Electric clock.



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ELECTRIC- CLOCK. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 26. I916.

- Patented June 5,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

' Patented J 11110 5, 1917. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 W. E. PORTER;

ELECTRIC cLdcK. APPLECATION FILED OCT. 26. I916.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILSON E. PORTER, OF HAVEI T, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO NEW HAVEN CLOC (30., OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION.

To all whom itmay concern:

Be it known that I, WVILSON E. Poms, a citiv'en of the United States, residing at New Haven, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Electric Clocks;

electric-clock constructed in-accordance with my invention. Fig. 2. a view thereof in side elevation.

Fig. 3 a view on an enlarged scale oLthe clock-case shown in horizontal section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1, with the clock-mechanism shown in plan.

Fig. 4 a view in vertical section on the line 4-4 of Fig; 3.

5 a view in vertical section line 5 {5 of Fig. 3.

My invention relates, to an improvement in electric-clocks primarily designed for use as automobile clocks, but not so limited, the object being to'produce, ata low-cost for manufacture, a simple, compact,"undreliable electric clock. constructed with particular reference to a self-cleaning contact-mechanism. V With these ends. in "view, my invention consists in an electric-clock having jcertain" details of construction 'as will 'be "hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

In carrying out my invention :as herein shown, I employ a pair of electrmmagnets 6 secured to a bracket 7 attached by screws 8 to the inner face of a rear disk-shaped frame-plate 9 which is connected by pillars 10 to a corresponding front frame-plate 11.'

Above the electro-magnets 6, I locate a pivotalarmature 12 mounted upon a rockshaft 13 the ends of which are journaledin the frame-plates 9 and-11 aforesaid. At its opposite end, the armature 12 is provided .with an operating-finger 14] the upper face Y of which coacts with the forwardly turned arm 15 of a trigger-16 rocking upon a stud 17 in the rear frame-plate 9. A pin 18 in the said trigger 16 is enga'gedby a trigger: spring 19 which is fastened to the plate 9 and which exerts aconstant effort to swing Specification of Letters latent.

Appllcationflled October 26, 1918. Serial .No. 127,771.

of this applica-- on the Patented Jnne5, 1917.

the trigger inward. The trigger 16 is formed upon its lower edge with smoking-shoulder- 90 co-acting with a cockifi'g' pinfl mounted in the disk-shaped body 22 "eta circuit-' closer having an inte ral contact-arm 'The lower face of t e operating-finger, 1g of the armature 12, co-acts with the upper face of an operating-pin 24 mounted in the disk-shaped body 22 .of the circuit-closer which rocksupon a stud'25 plate 9.. A pin 26 in the said body 22 is engag'ed by a spring 27 which exertsa constant effort to swing the contact-arm 23- of the circuitclos'ed outward into its circuitin -the frame; 5

closing position." .The beveled outer end of the said arm .23 makes sliding contact with a contactspring 28 secured to a stud 29mounted in the frame-plate 9 but-in'su4 .lated therefrom by fiber washers 30 and con neeted by a wire 314:0 one of the two electromagnets 6. An adjustablestop-amiw'of insulating material, mounted upon a stud 33' in the frame-plate 9 limits the swin 'ng movement of the saidarm 23 in thedirection of closing the circuit.

-Mounted upon .the; armature-shaft 13 aforesaid, is a bowed driving-arm 34 the lower end of which carries a spring-pawl 35 engaging with, a driving ratchet-wheel. 36

driving gear-wheel 38 which meshes into a -mounted upon an arbor 37 also carrying a s5 driving-pinion 39 upon the arbor 40 of the third wheel 41 of the time-train which may.

be of any'suitable construction and arrange-- mentandwhich does not need; detailed scriptionm'ore than to say .that the said third-wheel-arbo'r 40 mounts a pinion 42 meshing-into the -center-wheel 43 of thetimetrain.

driven by means of a periodically erergized helical driving-s ring 44 one end of which is attached to t e 'otherenrl'of which is attached to a pin 45 in the rear movement-plate ,46 of the clockmovement,'the said plate 46 being secured by pillars 47 to the front-movement-plate 48 which in turn is securedto the inner face 'of the front-frame-plate 11. A stop-screw magnet 6, is conne ted to a wire 51 which 119 The time train, however constructed, is 9 5 driving-arm 34, and the O of 'the trigger 1B which is thus slowly lifted leads to a plug 52 mounted in the frameplate 9 and insulated therefrom by a bushing 53 of insulating material. The sand plu 52.-is adapted to enter a socket 54 forme pillars 60 to the back 56 of the clock-case 57 the forward edge of which is provided with an annular fastening-flange 61 having screw-holes 62 by'means of which the clockcase is scoured in place in the cowl or instrnment-lmard of the automobile. The forward end of thecase 57 is exteriorly threaded for the application of a knurled bezel 63 carrying a glass 64 and a mat 65 which lat ter rests upon the dial 66.

Having now described the mechanism of my improved electric clock, I will proceed to set orth the mode of its operation. F'or this purpose it may be assumed that -"the time-train is running, which is the condition in which the parts are shown in all of'tlie drawings. At this time the tension of the driving-s ring 44 is exerting its power through t e pawl 35, to turn the ratchetwheel 36-and hence the driving-gcar-wheel '38 which in turn drives the driving-pinion .39 mounted on the arbor 40 of the third wheel 41 of the time-train. isihus driven through the third-wheel arbor 40. As the ratchet-wheel 36 turns under the tension-of the sprin" 44, the driving-arm 34 with which the said spring is connected, is gradually drawn inward with the effect (if rocking the shaft 13 .and correspondingly swinging the armature1'2 outward, whereby the same is lifted aboue the cover of the electro-magnets 6. This outward swinging or lifting movement of the armature is a gradual movement and car-res ends to the slow turning of the ratchet-w eel 36 under the tension of the spring 44. .As the armature. gradually moves outward,'its operatiug'finger 14 pushes against the operating-arm 15 against the tension of the trigger-spring 19. In this manner, the shoulder 25-of the trigger 16 is gradually lifted and disengaged rom the pin 21 mounted in the bed 22 of the eircuit-closmiz At the instant t e said shoulder 25 is in this manner fully cleared from the pin 21, the spring 27 of the circuitcloser asserts itself to rock the same upon its stud 25, whereby its contact-arm 23 is smartl -moved outward, making a wiping or sli ing contact with the spring 28 and stopping against the stop-arm 32. The circuit is thus momentarily'closed through the electro-magnets 6 with the effect of attract- The time-train ing the armature 12 and swinging the driving-arm 34 outward with the result of reener 'zing the driving-spring 44 and causing the riving-pawl 35 to ratchet-back and take up one tooth of the ratchet-wheel 30 to which the ower of the spring 44 is continuously applied except at the moment of ratcheting back. as described. The reenergization of the driving-spring 44 will be effected about every thirty seconds, though this interval may he varied as desired in the initial construction of the mechanism. \Vhcn the armature 12 is attracted by the magnets 6 as aforesaid. itsfinger 14 strikes a smart blow npon the pin 24 in the disk 22 of the circuit-closer and turns the same from left to right, whereby the milduct-arm 23 is disengaged from the contaet -spring 28 and the circuit abruptly broken. .-\t the same time, thc'pin 21 in the disk 22 n ovesjrom right to left into position to clear the shoulder 25 of the trigger '16 which is then swung down- =w'ard by the trigger-spring 19 into the p osiger-mechanism for cocking the contact-arm in its full open position, I am enabled to close the circuit suddenly, whereby I secure greater reliabilityof performance than can be had with almecha'nism constructed to effect a gradual approach ofv the contact points. Furthermore, by utilizing the travel of the armature asa means of gaining time,

I: am able to prolong'the eontaetinto a'sliding or wiping contact which keeps the contaet'points clean. In other words, when the armature is moving fromjts open to its elosedposition; the contact-arinds wiping the-contact-spring and moving through a predetennineddista.nce.' Therefore, there can be no 'such thing, 'in'my improved con'- struetion,.as an opening of the circuit before: the contact-arm has had an opportu nity of wiping over tlie'contact-spring. The .gap between theoperatingfinger 14 of the armature 12 and the pin'24 carried by the cncuit-closen'is initially spaced so that thee'ontuet-arm 23 will. have'time to travel over the contact-spring 28 and he'stopped by the stop-arm 32 before the 0 crating-finger 14 of the armature strikes he pin 24 of the circu t-closer for turning the same smartly into its open-circuit position.

I claim -1. In an electric clock, the combination with an electro-magnet, of an armature therefor, a trigger operated by the said armature, a circuit-closer cocked and released by the .said trigger and operated for opening:tho circuit y the said armature, a contact with which the circuit-closer co-acts, and a drivingspring energized by the movement of the armature and connected with the time-train of the clock.

In an electric clock, the combination with an clectro-magnet, of a pivotal armature therefor, a trigger operated by the said armature, a circuit-closer cocked and released by the said trigger and moved by the.

said armature into its open-circuit position,

with an electro-ma-gnet, of a'pivotalarmaek u un a contact-spring with which the said circuitcloser has sliding contact, and a drivingspring periodically energized by the move- -ment oft-he armature and connected with the time-train of the-clock, the said armature when attracted by the said magnet operating the circuitcloser by a sharp blow so as to suddenly break its contact with the said 4 spring and permit the trigger to cock it in its open-circuit position: r

- 3. In an electric clock, the combination ture therefor, a trigger operated by the said circuit position by the said trigger when moved into its-open-circuit position by the said armature, a driving-arm connected with the armature, a drivin spring connected with the said arm and p aced under tension thereby, and a time-train driven by the said arm under the power of the said spring.

i. In an electric clock, the combination with an electro-magnet, a pivotal armature therefor, a trigger having a cocking-shoulder and an operating-arm which latter coacts'withthe armature, an Oscillating cir cnit-closer c'ocked by the said cocking shoulder of the trigger ivhen moved into its opencircuit position by the said armature, and provided with a contact? arm, a contactspring with which the said contactarm makes sliding contact, a driving-spring, and connection between the said driving-spring and the armature, whereby the spring 15 energized by the armature eiery time the sameis moved by the energization of the magnet. In testimony whereof, I have '51 .ed this specification in the presence oftwo bscribing witnesses.

1 WILSON E. PORTER.

" Witnesses: V

C. L. Wnnn, E a-Emma.

armature, a circuit-closer cocked in its open- E i I 

